Tanach
Divrei HaYamim II 18:1-17 דברי הימים ב י״ח:א׳-י״ז
Part of: Chapter 18
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיְהִי לִיהוֹשָׁפָט עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד לָרֹב וַיִּתְחַתֵּן לְאַחְאָֽב׃
Now Yehoshafat had riches and honour in abundance, and he allied himself by marriage with Aĥ᾽av.
Now Yehoshafat had riches and honour in abundance, and he allied himself by marriage with Aĥ᾽av.
וַיֵּרֶד לְקֵץ שָׁנִים אֶל־אַחְאָב לְשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּֽזְבַּֽח־לוֹ אַחְאָב צֹאן וּבָקָר לָרֹב וְלָעָם אֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ וַיְסִיתֵהוּ לַעֲלוֹת אֶל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָֽד׃
And after certain years he went down to Aĥ᾽av to Shomron. And Aĥ᾽av killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramot-gil῾ad.
And after certain years he went down to Aĥ᾽av to Shomron. And Aĥ᾽av killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramot-gil῾ad.
Rashi
ויסיתהו לעלות אל רמת גלעד. כמו שכתוב שם בספר מלכים הידעתם כי לנו רמות גלעד כי כשהציב יעקב אבניו שם את הגל (בראשית ל״א:מ״ו-מ״ז) וקרא לו גלעד הוחזק בו ואבותינו לקחו גלעד והרמות משוכי' ומוחזקים אחרי העיר ואבותינו אז בימי משה כשתפשו גלעד שתקו אז מלקחת אותה כי לא חששו בהם או שמא בימי משה לקחוה ואחרי כן לקחוה האומות מיד ישראל ושלנו הם:
and he enticed him to go up to Ramoth Gilead as is written in the Book of I Kings (22: 3): “Do you know that Ramoth Gilead is ours,” because when Jacob built the mound [of stones] there and called it Galead, he took possession of it, and our forefathers took Gilead and the heights (רָמוֹת), which are a continuation and an attachment to the city. But when our forefathers in Moses’ time seized Gilead, they were silent and refrained from taking it, because they did not care for it, or perhaps in Moses’ time, they did take it, but later the nations took it from Israel’s hands, but it is [in fact] ours.
וַיֹּאמֶר אַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הֲתֵלֵךְ עִמִּי רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ וּכְעַמְּךָ עַמִּי וְעִמְּךָ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
And Aĥ᾽av king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat king of Yehuda, Wilt thou go with me to Ramot-gil῾ad? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people are as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
And Aĥ᾽av king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat king of Yehuda, Wilt thou go with me to Ramot-gil῾ad? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people are as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּרׇשׁ־נָא כַיּוֹם אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָֽה׃
And Yehoshafat said to the king of Yisra᾽el, Inquire, I pray thee, of the word of the Lord to day.
And Yehoshafat said to the king of Yisra᾽el, Inquire, I pray thee, of the word of the Lord to day.
Rashi
דרש נא כיום את דבר ה'. ולא מנביאי הבעלים אשר אתה בוטח בהם:
Please inquire today the word of the Lord and [do not inquire] of the prophets of the baalim in whom you trust.
וַיִּקְבֹּץ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶֽת־הַנְּבִאִים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם הֲנֵלֵךְ אֶל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־אֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵה וְיִתֵּן הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיַד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
Therefore the king of Yisra᾽el gathered together prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramot-gil῾ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.
Therefore the king of Yisra᾽el gathered together prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramot-gil῾ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.
Rashi
ויקבץ מלך ישראל את הנביאים ארבע מאות. וכולם נביאי אמת היו כי מה ששאל ממנו יהושפט קבץ לו כן מוכיח בסמוך (פ"כ) ויצא הרוח ויאמר אני אפתנו וגו' עד והייתי לרוח שקר בפי כל נביאיו שאומר להם לאמר לאחאב עלה ויתן האלהים ביד המלך מכלל שהיו נביאי ה' שלא היו מתנבאים אלא דבר ה' שאם היו נביאי שקר אין הפתוי נופל עליהם שלא היו מתנבאים אלא מה שהיו בודי' מלבן ועוד שאמר יהושפט שוב האין פה נבי' לה' עוד ודאי יודע אני שהם נביאי ה' אלא מקובלני מבית אבי אבא שאין שני נביאים מתנבאים בסגנון א' ולשון א' והללו כולם מתנבאים עלה והצלח:
And the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred And they were all true prophets, for he gathered for Jehoshaphat that which he had requested of him. And this is proven in the closely following text (verse 20f.): “And a spirit came forth, etc. and said: ‘I will entice him...and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets,’ for I will inspire them to say to Ahab: Ascend, and the Lord will deliver it into the hands of the king.” From here we can deduce that they were prophets of the Lord, for they prophesied only the word of the Lord, for if they were false prophets, they would not entice, for they would prophesy only that which they were inventing from their minds. Moreover, Jehoshaphat later said, “Is there no other prophet of the Lord?” I know that they are prophets of the Lord, but I have a tradition from my grandfather’s house that two prophets do not prophesy in the same style and with the same language, but all of these [prophets] are [unanimously] prophesying, “Ascend and prosper.”
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט הַאֵין פֹּה נָבִיא לַיהֹוָה עוֹד וְנִדְרְשָׁה מֵאֹתֽוֹ׃
But Yehoshafat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?
But Yehoshafat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?
וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל ׀ אֶֽל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט עוֹד אִישׁ־אֶחָד לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה מֵאֹתוֹ וַאֲנִי שְׂנֵאתִיהוּ כִּֽי־אֵינֶנּוּ מִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי לְטוֹבָה כִּי כׇל־יָמָיו לְרָעָה הוּא מִיכָיְהוּ בֶן־יִמְלָא וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אַל־יֹאמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ כֵּֽן׃
And the king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good to me, but always evil: he is Mikhayehu the son of Yimla. And Yehoshafat said, Let not the king say so.
And the king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good to me, but always evil: he is Mikhayehu the son of Yimla. And Yehoshafat said, Let not the king say so.
Rashi
כי כל ימיו לרעה. כי זהו שאמר (מלכים א כ"ב) יען אשר שלחת איש חרמי וגו':
but always bad For this is what it says (I Kings 20:42): “Because you have released the man whom I designated for destruction, etc.”
וַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־סָרִיס אֶחָד וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֵר (מיכהו) [מִיכָיְהוּ] בֶן־יִמְלָֽא׃
So the king of Yisra᾽el called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Mikhayehu the son of Yimla.
So the king of Yisra᾽el called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Mikhayehu the son of Yimla.
Rashi
מהר מיכהו. כתיב חסר יו"ד משום בזיון כינה לו שם אחר מיכהו:
Bring Micaiah at once [Micaiah] is written with the “yud” missing. He called him by a different name, Micahu, in order to degrade him.
וּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה יוֹשְׁבִים אִישׁ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ מְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים וְיֹשְׁבִים בְּגֹרֶן פֶּתַח שַׁעַר שֹׁמְרוֹן וְכׇל־הַנְּבִיאִים מִֽתְנַבְּאִים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
And the king of Yisra᾽el and Yehoshafat king of Yehuda sat each of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Shomeron; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And the king of Yisra᾽el and Yehoshafat king of Yehuda sat each of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Shomeron; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
Rashi
מלובשים בגדים. בגדי מלכות ויושבין בגורן פתח שער שומרון בא להודיענו כי כשנתנבאו הנביאים לפניהם היו יושבים חוץ לעיר ושם באו מרגלים של מלך ארם ושמעו שהודיע למלך ישראל שהוא לבדו יפול במלחמה הוא שצוה מלך ארם לחיילותיו (לקמן פ' ל) לא תלחמו את הקטן ואת הגדול כי אם את מלך ישראל לבדו לקיים דברי מיכיהו לפיכך כתיב בגורן שהיה מקום מרגלים לרגל אבל אם הועד בתוך העיר לא היו המרגלים של מלך ארם יכולין לבא שמא ירגישו בהם שהם מרגלים אבל כשהם חוץ לעיר אפי' ירגישו בהם ויבינו כי מרגלים הם יכולים הם לומר למקום אחר אנו הולכים ומה שקרבנו פה אל הגורן בשביל הרגש גדול וקבוץ חיילות הנה פתח העיר תמהנו ופנינו מן הדרך לראות מה זה והמרגלים הם הודיעו למלך ארם והוא צוה שלא להרוג שום אדם כי אם מלך ישראל לבדו שאם לא כן מה עלה בלבו שצוה שלא להרוג מישראל רק המלך לבדו אלא מרגלים היו לו ושמעו את מיכיהו אומר ראיתי את כל ישראל נפוצים וגו':
dressed in [their] attire the royal raiment and seated in a threshing floor He is telling us that when the prophets prophesied before them, they were sitting outside the city, and spies of the king of Aram came there and heard that he [the prophet] informed the king of Israel that he alone would fall in battle. That is the reason that the king of Aram commanded his forces (v. 30): “Attack neither small nor great; only the king of Israel,” to fulfill the words of Micaiah. That is why it is written, “in a threshing floor,” for it was a place where spies could spy. If the meeting had been inside the city, the spies of the king of Aram would not have been able to infiltrate, for they would have detected that they were spies; but when they were outside the city, even if they [the Israelites] became aware of them, they could say, “We are going elsewhere, and the reason we drew near to the threshing floor is because of the great tumult and gathering of the armies here at the gate of the city; we were amazed, and turned off the road to see what was going on.” Consequently, the spies informed the king of Aram [what they had heard], who commanded to slay no one but the king of Israel. Otherwise, why did it enter his mind to command not to slay anyone of Israel, but the king? But he had spies who had heard Micaiah saying, (verses 16f.): “I saw all the Israelites scattered, etc. And the Lord said: These have no master.” This was a sign that the king would be slain, and that the Israelites would return each one to his house in peace. And they heard that he said, (v. 27): “If you return in peace...” The spies heard all and informed the king of Aram. The king of Aram then commanded to act in accordance with the word of Micaiah, and to slay only the king.
וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ צִדְקִיָּהוּ בֶֽן־כְּנַעֲנָה קַרְנֵי בַרְזֶל וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה בְּאֵלֶּה תְּנַגַּח אֶת־אֲרָם עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם׃
And Żidqiyyahu the son of Kena῾ana had made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus says the Lord, With these thou shalt push Aram until they are wiped out.
And Żidqiyyahu the son of Kena῾ana had made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus says the Lord, With these thou shalt push Aram until they are wiped out.
וְכׇל־הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאִים כֵּן לֵאמֹר עֲלֵה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וְהַצְלַח וְנָתַן יְהֹוָה בְּיַד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And all the prophets prophesied in the same sense, saying, Go up to Ramot-gil῾ad, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
And all the prophets prophesied in the same sense, saying, Go up to Ramot-gil῾ad, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
וְהַמַּלְאָךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַךְ ׀ לִקְרֹא לְמִיכָיְהוּ דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִאִים פֶּה־אֶחָד טוֹב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וִיהִי־נָא דְבָרְךָ כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם וְדִבַּרְתָּ טּֽוֹב׃
And the messenger that went to call Mikhayehu spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
And the messenger that went to call Mikhayehu spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
וַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ חַי־יְהֹוָה כִּי אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַר אֱלֹהַי אֹתוֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר׃
And Mikhayehu said, As the Lord lives, even what my God says, that will I speak.
And Mikhayehu said, As the Lord lives, even what my God says, that will I speak.
וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלָיו מִיכָה הֲנֵלֵךְ אֶל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־אֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמֶר עֲלוּ וְהַצְלִיחוּ וְיִנָּתְנוּ בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃
And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, Mikha, shall we go to Ramot-gil῾ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, Mikha, shall we go to Ramot-gil῾ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
Rashi
עלו והצליחו וינתנו בידכם. כלומר הלואי שתצליחו וינתנו בידכם:
Go up and triumph, and may they be delivered into your hand i.e., May you only prosper, and may they be delivered into your hands.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הַמֶּלֶךְ עַד־כַּמֶּה פְעָמִים אֲנִי מַשְׁבִּיעֶךָ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תְדַבֵּר אֵלַי רַק־אֱמֶת בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָֽה׃
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing to me but the truth in the name of the Lord?
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing to me but the truth in the name of the Lord?
וַיֹּאמֶר רָאִיתִי אֶת־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל נְפוֹצִים עַל־הֶהָרִים כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין־לָהֶן רֹעֶה וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִים לָאֵלֶּה יָשׁוּבוּ אִישׁ־לְבֵיתוֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃
Then he said, I saw all Yisra᾽el scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
Then he said, I saw all Yisra᾽el scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
Rashi
נפוצים על ההרים. כי כשבורחים מן המלחמה בורחים על ההרים לבית מנוס כמו (ראשית יד) והנשארים הרה נסו ועוד שהמלחמה היתה ברמות גלעד מקום הרים וגבעות:
scattered over the mountains For when they flee from battle, they flee on the mountains to a refuge, like (Gen. 14:10): “and those who remained fled to the mountains.” In addition, the battle was on the heights of Gilead, a mountainous and hilly terrain.
ויאמר ה' לא אדונים לאלה. סימן שיהרג המלך אבל ישראל ישובו איש לביתו לשלום ושמעו את זה שאמר אם שוב תשוב בשלום הכל שמעו המרגלים והגידו למלך ארם ואז צוה מלך ארם לעשות כדבר מיכיהו להרוג המלך לבדו:
ויאמר ה' לא אדונים לאלה. לפיכך נפוצים כצאן על ההרים שאין להם רועה שמלכם יהרג:
And the Lord said: These have no master They are scattered like sheep on the mountains, because they have no shepherd, for their king will be slain.
ישובו איש לביתו בשלום. שאחאב לבדו יהרג אבל שאר ישראל ישובו איש לביתו לשלום כאשר צוה ארם לעמו:
Let them return each one to his house in peace Ahab alone will be killed, but the rest of the Israelites will return each one to his house in peace, as the king of Aram commanded his people.
וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲלֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לֹא־יִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי טוֹב כִּי אִם־לְרָֽע׃ {ס}
And the king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good to me but only evil?
And the king of Yisra᾽el said to Yehoshafat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good to me but only evil?
וירד לקץ שנים. ובמלכים (א' כ"ב) כתיב ויהי בשנה השלישית וירד יהושפט וגומר בשנה השלישית מששלח את בן הדד:
And he went down at the end of years And in I Kings (22:2) it is written: “And it was in the third year, that Jehoshaphat came down, etc.” This refers to the third year since he had released Ben Hadad (ibid. 20:34).